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A Heisman Trophy voter expressed regret Wednesday for voting for Vanderbilt Commodores star Diego Pavia to win the prestigious award.
Rece Davis, an ESPN college football and college basketball broadcaster, said he was glad Pavia didn’t win after the quarterback made an explicit message following the revelation that Indiana Hoosiers quarterback Fernando Mendoza won the trophy.
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Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (2) throws to a receiver during warmups before an NCAA college football game against Tennessee, Saturday, Nov. 29, 2025, in Knoxville, Tennessee. (AP Photo/Wade Payne, File)
Pavia apologized for saying “F— all the voters,” the message still reverberating.
“The Heisman gets a lot of talk, and I don’t want to end this by picking on Diego Pavia because he apologized for his post-Heisman behavior and understandably so,” Davis said on the “College GameDay Podcast.” “I didn’t feel he owed the voters an apology. He can say what he wants to them. As a voter, I saw some people who got upset, but I didn’t. He could say what he wants.
“But the one thing his behavior, even with the apology included and accepted, did for me was make me regret my Heisman vote. I voted for Diego Pavia because I know what Vanderbilt’s history is. I thought he was the most dynamic player. I’m predisposed in the Heisman voting to vote for guys who create ‘wow’ moments.”
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Heisman Trophy finalist Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia speaks during an NCAA college football news conference before the award ceremony Saturday, Dec. 13, 2025, in New York. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)
Davis said he was more upset about the slight against Mendoza, and that he has made Heisman Trophy voters for the past two decades and regretted only one vote once before because of poor judgment he cast on an individual.
“This one was different. I regretted the vote because after Pavia’s behavior afterward, I was like, ‘Man, I’m glad he didn’t win.'” I’m glad he didn’t win,” Davis added. “That’s not how you should feel about a player as big as Pavia is on the pitch.
“I’m glad Mendoza won because he wants to represent the Heisman, but the way I think it should be represented.”
Mendoza finished with 643 first-place votes to Pavia’s 189.
“I didn’t handle these emotions well at all and didn’t represent myself the way I wanted to,” Pavia said in his apology. “I have a lot of love and respect for the Heisman voters and the selection process, and I apologize for being disrespectful. It was a mistake and I’m sorry.
“Fernando Mendoza is an elite competitor and a deserving winner of the award. I have nothing but respect for his accomplishments as well as the success that Jeremiah [Love] and Julian [Sayin] had this season. I’ve had doubts all my life,” he wrote.
Vanderbilt Commodores quarterback Diego Pavia (2) warms up before their game against the Missouri Tigers at FirstBank Stadium on Oct. 25, 2025. (Steve Roberts/Imagn Images)
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“Every step of my journey I’ve had to break down doors and fight for myself because I’ve learned that nothing was going to be handed to me. My family has always been in my corner and my teammates, coaches and staff have my six. I love them – I’m grateful for them – and I don’t want anything to distract from that. I’m looking forward to competing one more time with my family in front of RQuest.”
